Resister football trainer



June Z4, 1969 z. NEDWICK RESISTER FOOTBALL TRAINER sheet of 2 Filed Aug.l5, 1966 w mw /QTTP/VEY June 24, 1969 z. NEDwlcK 3,451,677

RES I STER FOOTBALL TRAINER 4Filed Aug. l5, 1966 5? ATTQQA/Ey UnitedStates Patent O U.S. Cl. 273-55 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Afootball, blocking and scrimmage practice apparatus having a framemember mounting a pair of rows of flexible resilient conical shapedelongated resistance members directed toward each other in staggeredrelation. The frame member for the rows provides a passage for a playerwhose movement is retarded or resisted by the flexible resistancemembers. A tubular boom extends beyond the front of the frame member. Atackle dummy is suspended from the front of the boom and is connected toa spring resisting device. The frame members have a pair of skids. Eachskid at its rear end pivotally supports a blocking dummy which is springbiased to an upright position.

This invention relates to a football training and practice machine.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a structure ormachine to be used in football tackle and scrimmage practice that willapply to a football player while running a yielding resistance to theupper part of his body when he is slightly crouched as well as to hislegs.

Another object of this invention is to incorporate in the machine alongwith the yielding resistance a plurality of movable dummies for tacklingand blocking practice.

A further object of this invention is to provide a structure or machinemounted on skids so as to permit placement thereof in a variety ofpositions as well as to be moved into the path of running of a footballplayer during practice of tackling and scrimmage such that the Y weightof the machine reduces the possible speed of the practicing playerpushers providing that the practicing player runners speed will alwaysbe faster than the speed of the pushers or blockers Yet another objectof this invention is to provide an inverted U-shaped frame structuresupported at its lower ends on a pair of skids through which framestructure the practicing player runs, there being provided within theframe structure two vertically related tiers of rubber resistanceelements interposing a yielding resistance both to the body and legs ofthe runner as he moves through the frame structure simulating theresistance he would encounter during an actual football game.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in front of theframe structure a suspended blocking dummy that may be tackled by therunner and moved into the frame structure against a yielding resistanceto the movement of the dummy forming part of its suspension.

Another object of this invention is to provide on each skid of thepractice machine rearwardly of the frame structure an upright pusherdummy which is pivoted to the skid and incorporating a yieldingresistance to forward pivotal movement thereof when engaged duringfootball practice by a player acting as a pusher or blocker.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the form illus- 3,451,677 Patented `Ilune 24, 1969 P ICCtrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact,however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may bemade in the specific construction illustrated and described within thescope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the complete football practice machine.

FIG. 2 is a rear end view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view partly in section on line 3 3, of FIG.2, of a part of the structure of the machine showing the manner oftackle dummy suspension.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of a detail of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side View partly in section of a modified form of tackledummy suspension.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the pivotal mounting of apusher dummy on the machine of FIG. l.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the practice machine 10 is seento be a movable structure embodying a pair of laterally spaced skids 12,13 the forward ends of which are turned upwardly as at 14 to permit easyriding over slight obstructions etc., as the skids move over a groundsurface. The skids 12, 1.3 are of metal of any suitable structural shapeand size and for purposes of illustration are shown to be of heavy flatbar stock. Mounted on the skids 12, 13 are a pair of longitudinallyspaced like inverted U-shaped frame elements 1'8, 19 each respectivelycom-prising an upper bight portion 20, 21 and transversely opposeduprights 212, 23 and 24, 25. At their lower ends the uprights arerespectively each provided with an integral outwardly extending foot22a, 23a and 24a, 25a. The corresponding terminal ends of each footengages the upper surface of a skid and is rigidly secured thereto bywelding at 26, see FIG.l 6, as the U-frame elements 18, 19 are formed ofheavy pipe or solid bar stock and are vertical with respect to the skids12, 13. The height of the uprights of the frame elements 18 and 19, andthe transverse spacing therebetween is such as to permit the passage ofa football player therethrough for a purpose to be hereinafterdescribed.

Bridging the frame elements 18, 19 at each side thereof are pairs ofupper rails 30, 31 and lower rails 34, 35 which are horizontallydisposed. The rails are disposed inwardly of the frame element uprightswith the upper rail 30 and lower rail 34 rigidly secured in any desiredmanner to the uprights 22, 24 and in a like manner the upper rail 31 andlower rail 35 are rigidly secured to the uprights 23, 25. The rails ofeach pair lie in horizontal opposed relationship as clearly shown inFIG. 2.

Each rail is suitably fabricated of metal stock such as to provide onits inner side, upper and lower oppositely inclined faces 38, 39extending longitudinally of the rail and forming therein a somewhatchannel or trough shape. Preferably the rails are each of the samedimensions as also the inclined faces thereof. The rails serve as bracesfor the frame elements 18, 19 and hold the same rigidly together intheir vertical parallel relationship. The rails also serve to supportrows of opposed upper and lower resister members 4t), 41 which serve tointerpose a yielding resisting force to the passage of .a footballplayer running through the frame elements of the practice machine.

Each resister member is formed of rubber so as to be of a desiredflexibility and resiliency and is in the shape of an elongated cone.Suitable means, as for example a bolt and Washer embedded in the base ofthe resister (not shown) is employed for rigidly attaching Vthe resisterto the face of the rail permitting only a flexing movement of theresister. Referring to FIG. 2, it Will be seen that the rails 30, 3leach carry a pair of rows of upper and lower resisters 44, 45 the axesof which are inclined by virtue of the flat bases of the resistersseating on the inclined faces 38, 39 of the rails. Also it will benoted, See FIG. 1, that the corresponding upper resisters 44 seated onthe upper inclined faces 38 of rails 30, 31 are in opposed staggeredrelationship with their apices lying substantially in the verticalmedial longitudinal plane of the machine 10, the same being true of thelower resisters 45 seated on the lower inclined faces 39 of rails 30,31; and with all of the apices of the opposed staggered resisters 44, 45lying substantially in the same horizontal plane.

With regard to the resisters mounted on the lower rails 34, 35, theupper and lower resisters 48, 49 are of a length greater than the lengthof the resisters 44, 45 and are similarly mounted in opposed staggeredrelationship on the inclined faces of their respective rails such thatby virtue of their greater length the free end portions thereof willoverlap each other, see FIG. 2, with their apices lying in parallelhorizontal planes.

The resisters 40 are so positioned as to flexibly engage the body of aCrouching runner in his passage through the machine, and the resisters41 are so positioned as to ilexibly engage the legs of the runner. Theupper resisters 40 allow for the wider spread at the shoulders of aplayer in crouched football playing position while the lower resisters41 provide by their overlap a greater resistance to the legs of theplayers. It is thus seen that in operation both the upper and lowerresisters 40, 41 Will set up a flexible and resilient opposing forceimpeding the progress of the practicing runner through the machine.

Forwardly of the machine 10 there is provided a tackling dummy 50suspended by a cable 52 from a boom l54. The boom 54 is tubular andextends horizontally over the bight portions 20, 21 of the frameelements 18, 19 in the longitudinal medial plane thereof. Brackets 55,55 support the boom 54 on the bight portions 20, 21 and are welded bothto the boom and bight portions to provide a rigid connectiontherebetween, the boom further serving as a brace between the frameelements 18, 19. The boom 54 has a cantilever portion 58 projectingforwardly of the front frame member 18 for a selected distance suitableto support the tackle dummy 50. Caps 60, 61 threadedly mounted on theforward and rear ends of the boom '54 serve as closures. An opening 63in the forward cap 60 is provided with guide rollers 64 for the cable 52which extends into the tubular boom 54, see FIG. 3. The inner end of thecable 52 has an enlarged head 66 for engagement with an abutment member67, shown in FIG. 4 to be of cross shape. A compression coil spring 68surrounds the cable 52 within the boom 54 with its forward end engagingthe closure cap 60 and its rear end seated on the abutment member 67.The outer end of the cable 52 is secured as at `69 to the upper end ofthe tackle dummy 50. It is thus seen that when a practicing footballplayer or runner grasps the tackle dummy 50 he can pull the same againstthe yielding resistance of spring 68 into the frame elements 18, 19wherein his movement will be impeded by the resisters 40, 41.

FIG. illustrates a modication for the spring action for cable 52aconnected to the tackle dummy. In this case there is provided a reel 70rotatably supported by shaft 71 on a support bracket 72 secured as bybolts 73 to the rear end of boom 54a. The reel 70 includes a spiralspring 74 which is activated by the unwinding of cable 52a such as toimpart a yielding resistance to outward movement of the cable. The cable52a enters the boom 54a through an opening 75 in the top wall thereof,there being provided in the opening a guide roller 76 for the cablemounted on bracket 77 secured to the wall of the boom.

At the rear of the machine there is provided a twoman blocking unitembodying dummies 80 and 81. Both blocking dummies are of Similar shape,size and mounting, and a description of the mounting of one will suicefor both. Thus, blocking dummy 80 is supported by a rigid standard 83connected at its lower end to a yoke 4 element 84, the arms 85, 86 ofwhich stl'addle the rear end portion of the skid 12, see FIG. 2. A boltor pin 88 connects the arms 85, 86 to the skid 12 providing for pivotalrocking movement of the standard and yoke on the skid.

On each of the skids 12, 13 and forwardly of the pivoted standards 83 isan upstanding bracket 90 welded at its lower end to the skid as at 91.An inclined strut on brace 92 is welded at its ends to the skid and tothe forward face of the bracket 90. A boss 94 projects from the rearface of the bracket 90, see FIG. 6, and extends into an end of acompression coil spring 95 that seats against the rear face of thebracket 90. A similar boss 96 is provided on the forward face ofstandard 83 and eX- tends into the other end of the spring 95 whichseats against the forward face of the standard. The coil spring 95 isheld in place by the bosses 94, 96 and is under an initial compressionsuch as to slightly tilt the standards 83 rearwardly with the yokes 84acting as limit stops by virtue of their engagement with theirassociated skid, see FIG. 6. The blocking dummies 80, 81 when each heldby a player practicing blocking will resist the forward movement of theblocker or pusher by the compression of coil spring 95 as the dummy istilted forwardly. Further resistance to movement of the blocker orpusher is established by the weight of the machine 10 which is movedforwardly on its skids under the pushing action of the blocker.

From the above description it is seen that the football practice machinewill create a segment of the scrimmage line in football where a runnermay be met by opponents resisting the runner at the legs and body thusobviating the dangers of live football scrimmage practice.

There herein described football practice machine has the followingadvantages and uses:

A. To promote muscular development in the player through provision ofresistance to a runner.

B. To enhance the ability -to maintain balance, right running postureand ability to hold a ball as the runner is being grabbed by theresisting features found in the pathway of this Resister machine.

C. To provide blocking features for drill in the art of blocking whileovercoming the total weight of this machine.

D. To provide a tackling feature for drill in the art of tackling.

E. To provide means for the three skills mentioned above in oneapparatus making this machine not only multi-purpose but alsoeconomically practical to the coach since he would not need to buy threedifferent machines. The weight needed for any one of these purposes isnow common to all three.

F. Also the machine could represent four defenders for unit practice andemploy ve or more offensive personnel in segment drills.

(l) Two dummies to be blocked would represent -two defenders. Theresisting rubber arms would represent a third defender. The suspendeddummy activated by a coach would be the 4th defender.

(2) A unit of #ve or more offensive personnel could be employed to:

block the two sled dummies,

a third player to lead through the resisting features, then block thesuspended dummy; a fourth player to run through the resisting featuresand veer left or right olf the block on the suspended dummy,

a fifth player to hand the ball to the runner, and a sixth or moreplayers to run decoy rou-tes around the machine.

G. As described in F, the coach could rehearse units involved in middleattacks, or another unit involved in outside or corner attacks untilproficient enough to enf gage in live situations.

H. Still another use would be for a defensive player to rush through thepathway and its resisting features and tackle the suspended dummy whichcould be made to sway by a push by the coach and which would represent arunner.

I. The rubber features of the resisters also provide for a naturaladjustment in the amount of resistance to the runner depending on hissize or width since a smaller player will impact nearer to the ends ofthe rubberarm making it easier for him to open 'the door so to speak,While the larger player will impact more toward the central part of thisarm where the resistance is greater.

While certain novel features of my invention have been shown anddescribed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will beunderstood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in theforms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A football tackle, blocking and scrimmage practice machine forsimultaneous use by a plurality of players or by a single playercomprising:

(a) a pair of laterally spaced elongated skids,

(b) a pair of upright front and rear inverted U-shaped frame elementseach frame element defining,

(l) a pair of vertical uprights, (2) an upper bight portion, and (3) alaterally outwardly extending foot at the base of each upright,

(c) corresponding feet of said frame elements seated on each of saidskids and rigidly secured thereto,

(d) upper and lower horizontal rails bridging the vertical uprights ofsaid frame elements at each side and inwardly thereof and rigidlysecured thereto with the upper and lower rails at each side of the frameelements respectively in horizontally opposed relation and defining apassage between said front and rear frame elements,

(e) an upper and lower row of elongated conical flexible and resilientresister members tixedly mounted on each horizontal rail and extendinglaterally into said passage,

(f) means at the base of each resister member rigidly securing the sameto its associated horizontal rail,

(g) an upstanding bracket secured centrally on the bight por-tion ofeach front and rear frame element,

(h) a tubular boom seated on each bracket and rigidly secured theretoand extending forwardly of the front frame element,

(i) a movable cable within said boom having one end portion extendingoutwardly from the forward extending end thereof,

(j) a tackle dummy secured to said cable one end portion and suspendedthereby from the forward end of the boom in forwardly spaced relation tothe front frame element,

(k) spring means associated with said boom to which the other endportion of the cable is connected,

(l) a blocking dummy pivotally lconnected to the rear end portion ofeach skid rearwardly of the rear frame element and each in opposedrelation 'to a corresponding upright thereof, and

(m) spring means mounted on the rear end portion of each skid and on thelower end of its associated blocking dummy for yieldingly resistingforward movement thereof,

whereby when said tackle dummy is clasped by a player when running, saidtackle dummy is carried into said passage, the movement thereof beingyieldingly resisted by the spring means associated with the boomconnected to said other end of the cable and movement of said playerbeing further resisted in theI passage by said flexible resisterelements in said passage, and each said blocking dummy when engaged byanother individual player will swing forwardly against the resistance ofthe skid carried spring means associated therewith, forward movement ofthe blocking dummies further operating to move the practice machine onits skids along the ground.

2. The football practice machine of claim 1, wherein:

(a) each horizontal side rail is formed on its inner face with a pair ofupper and lower oppositely inclined faces extending longitudinallythereof,

(b) there being a row of resister members mounted on each inclined faceof a side rail, and

(c) opposed resister members on opposed inclined faces being instaggered relation to each other.

3i. The football practice machine of claim 2, wherein:

(a) the axes of the upper conical resister members on the opposed upperside rails intersect the medial vertical longitudinal plane of saidframe structure in a substantially common horizontal plane,

(b) said upper conical resister members being each of such a length thatthe apices thereof are substantially in opposed relation in said mediallongitudinal plane, and

(c) the lower conical resister members on the opposed lower side railsbeing each of a length greater than the upper resister members on theupper side rails such that the terminal end portions of the lowerconical resistor members extend beyond said medial vertical longitudinalplane in overlapping relation with respect to each other,

whereby said upper resister members will engage the body of said playerwhile said lower resistor members will engage the legs of said player.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7,011,265 7/ 1902 McMaster 273-551,176,730 3/1916 Ashton 273-55 2,653,816 9/1953 Young et al. 273-552,752,155 -6/ 1956 Nedwick 27 3-55 2,934,343 4/ 1960 Schumacher 273-5 52,951,702 9/ 1960 Goodwin. 2,977,118 3/1961 Farkas.

FOREIGN PATENTS 729,379 1/ 1943 Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. THEATRICE BROWN, AssistantExaminer.

